Italy’s Role in Europe’s Democratic Recession
- A coalition of civil liberties groups has voiced concerns over a deepening "democratic recession" in Europe, citing governmental actions that undermine the rule of law.
- According to a report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), several nations are identified as "dismantlers," actively weakening the rule of law.
- The report asserts that these nations "intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects."
Rule of Law Under Scrutiny in europe: A Deepening democratic Recession
Table of Contents
- Rule of Law Under Scrutiny in europe: A Deepening democratic Recession
- Rule of Law Under Scrutiny in Europe: A Deepening Democratic Recession – Q&A
- What is the “Democratic Recession” in Europe?
- Which Countries are Identified as “Dismantlers” of the Rule of Law?
- What are the key findings of the Liberties report on the European Rule of Law?
- What are the specific concerns regarding Hungary?
- How does the EU monitor the rule of law in member states?
- What are the country-specific concerns highlighted in the report?
- What is Article 49.3 in France?
- what happened at the Pro-Palestinian conference in Berlin?
- What lesson can be learned from Poland’s experience with the rule of law?
- What recommendations does the NGO make to the European Commission?
- Summary of Key Concerns
A coalition of civil liberties groups has voiced concerns over a deepening ”democratic recession” in Europe, citing governmental actions that undermine the rule of law. These concerns stem from changes to judicial systems and instances of “heavy intolerance to media criticism.”
Nations of Concern: The “Dismantlers”
According to a report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), several nations are identified as “dismantlers,” actively weakening the rule of law. These countries include:
- Italy
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Romania
- Slovakia
The report asserts that these nations “intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects.”
Hungary: A Case of Significant Regression
Hungary, previously classified as an “electoral autocracy,” has experienced “significant regression” in its adherence to the rule of law in 2024. The establishment of Hungary’s sovereignty protection office has intensified pressure on non-governmental groups and media, granting it broad investigative powers.
Key Findings of the Liberties report
Liberties stated that “Europe’s democratic recession has deepened in 2024.” The report highlights several critical issues:
- Political manipulation of judicial systems
- Weak law enforcement against corruption
- Overuse of fast-track legislative procedures
- Harassment of journalists
- growing restrictions on peaceful protests
The report, compiled by 43 human rights organizations across 21 EU member states, warns, “Without decisive action, the EU risks further democratic erosion.”
EU monitoring and Its Limitations
As 2019, Liberties has been monitoring the European Commission’s rule of law reports, which serve as a “democratic health check” on EU member states. viktor Kazai, senior rule of law expert at Liberties, noted that the NGO’s six reports revealed “the alarming persistence of rule of law violations throughout the european Union.” He added, “All fundamental aspects of the rule of law have faced increasingly severe problems in the past few years,” while EU efforts to reverse this decline have been “disappointingly limited.”
Kazai identified “the most worrying category of countries” as the “dismantlers,” those actively taking steps to undermine the rule of law.
Country-Specific Concerns
Italy
In Italy, researchers pointed out that Giorgia Meloni’s government has proposed granting “open-ended powers” to the justice ministry over prosecutors, potentially increasing political control over the judiciary. Concerns were also raised about “unprecedented levels of interference in public service media,” including the cancellation of Antonio Scurati’s “anti-fascist manifesto.”
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the report highlighted anti-corruption investigations targeting political opponents, while issues like the dumping of construction waste in Sofia persist.
Slovakia
Slovakia faces scrutiny due to changes introduced by Robert Fico’s government, including the abolition of the office of the central prosecutor and a “Russia-style” foreign agents bill that could stigmatize NGOs receiving foreign funding.
Croatia
In Croatia, the appointment of Ivan Turudić, a judge with ties to the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HSZ) party, as state attorney general has raised concerns about the integrity of the justice system. The European public prosecutor’s office has complained of “Croatia’s systemic challenges in upholding the rule of law.”
Romania
In Romania, recent presidential elections highlighted the potential for social media to influence outcomes, while a bill to ensure the independence of public service media remains stalled in parliament since 2021.
“Role-Model Democracies” Not Immune
The report also cautioned that “role-model democracies,” such as France and Germany, are not exempt from challenges to the rule of law.
France
In France, concerns have been raised about the increasing use of the article 49.3 procedure to pass decisions without a vote, and also growing restrictions on freedom of expression.
Germany
In Germany, while stronger rules to combat “revolving doors” were praised, concerns were noted regarding “excessive and disproportionate” responses to pro-Palestinian events, including censorship and denial of entry to individuals like Yanis Varoufakis. Last April, police shut down a pro-Palestinian conference in Berlin, citing fears of antisemitism.
Poland: A Cautionary Tale
Poland, currently working to reverse previous assaults on autonomous institutions, serves as a cautionary example. The government led by Donald Tusk is striving to restore judicial independence and media pluralism but faces challenges from the president and the complexities of reforming compromised institutions. Liberties stated that Poland “illustrates that addressing the compromised independence of institutions is an extremely challenging and fragile endeavour.”
Recommendations for the European Commission
The NGO urges the European Commission to strengthen its monitoring efforts by linking them to the release of EU funds and accelerating legal action against violations of the rule of law.
Rule of Law Under Scrutiny in Europe: A Deepening Democratic Recession – Q&A
This article addresses concerns over a deepening “democratic recession” in Europe, focusing on governmental actions that undermine the rule of law. Drawing on a report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), we explore key findings, country-specific concerns, and recommendations for the European Commission.
What is the “Democratic Recession” in Europe?
The “democratic recession” in Europe refers to a decline in adherence to the rule of law within EU member states. This includes actions that undermine judicial systems, exhibit intolerance towards media criticism, and weaken checks and balances essential for a healthy democracy. Civil liberty groups are increasingly concerned about this trend.
Which Countries are Identified as “Dismantlers” of the Rule of Law?
According to the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) report, the following countries are actively weakening the rule of law and are identified as “dismantlers”:
Italy
Bulgaria
Croatia
Romania
slovakia
These nations are accused of intentionally undermining the rule of law in nearly all aspects.
What are the key findings of the Liberties report on the European Rule of Law?
The Liberties report highlights several critical issues:
Political manipulation of judicial systems
Weak law enforcement against corruption
overuse of fast-track legislative procedures
Harassment of journalists
Growing restrictions on peaceful protests
The report warns that without decisive action, the EU risks further democratic erosion.In 2024, Liberties stated that “Europe’s democratic recession has deepened”. The report was compiled by 43 human rights organizations across 21 EU member states.
What are the specific concerns regarding Hungary?
Hungary, previously classified as an “electoral autocracy,” has experienced “notable regression” in its adherence to the rule of law. The establishment of Hungary’s sovereignty protection office has intensified pressure on non-governmental groups and media, granting it broad investigative powers. The establishment of Hungary’s sovereignty protection office has intensified pressure on non-governmental groups and media,granting it broad investigative powers.
How does the EU monitor the rule of law in member states?
Since 2019, Liberties has monitored the European Commission’s rule of law reports, which serve as a “democratic health check” on EU member states. However, Viktor Kazai, a senior rule of law expert at Liberties, noted that EU efforts to reverse the decline in the rule of law have been “disappointingly limited.”
What are the country-specific concerns highlighted in the report?
Here’s a breakdown of the concerns for specific countries:
Italy: Proposed granting “open-ended powers” to the justice ministry over prosecutors, increasing political control over the judiciary.Also, unprecedented levels of interference in public service media.
Bulgaria: Anti-corruption investigations targeting political opponents and persistent issues like illegal dumping of construction waste.
Slovakia: Abolition of the office of the central prosecutor and a “Russia-style” foreign agents bill that could stigmatize NGOs receiving foreign funding.
Croatia: Appointment of Ivan Turudić, a judge with ties to the ruling party, as state attorney general, raising concerns about the integrity of the justice system.
Romania: Possibility for social media to influence outcomes due to recent presidential elections, and stalled bill to ensure the independence of public service media.
France: Increasing use of the article 49.3 procedure to pass decisions without a vote,and growing restrictions on freedom of expression.
* Germany: Concerns regarding “excessive and disproportionate” responses to pro-Palestinian events, including censorship and denial of entry to individuals.
What is Article 49.3 in France?
Article 49.3 of the French Constitution allows the government to pass a bill without a parliamentary vote. The increasing use of this procedure raises concerns about democratic accountability.
what happened at the Pro-Palestinian conference in Berlin?
In April, German police shut down a pro-Palestinian conference in Berlin, citing fears of antisemitism. This event raised concerns about freedom of expression and the proportionality of the response.
What lesson can be learned from Poland’s experience with the rule of law?
Poland serves as a cautionary example. The current government is working to reverse previous assaults on autonomous institutions, particularly judicial independence and media pluralism. However, it faces challenges from the president and the complexities of reforming compromised institutions. Liberties stated that Poland “illustrates that addressing the compromised independence of institutions is an extremely challenging and fragile endeavor.”
What recommendations does the NGO make to the European Commission?
The NGO urges the European Commission to strengthen its monitoring efforts by linking them to the release of EU funds and accelerating legal action against violations of the rule of law.
Summary of Key Concerns
| Country | Key Concerns |
| :——– | :——————————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| Italy | Political control over the judiciary, interference in public service media. |
| Bulgaria | anti-corruption investigations targeting political opponents, illegal dumping. |
| Slovakia | Abolition of central prosecutor, “Russia-style” foreign agents bill.|
| Croatia | Appointment of a judge with ties to the ruling party as state attorney general. |
| Romania | Potential for social media to influence elections, stalled media independence bill. |
| france | Increasing use of Article 49.3, restrictions on freedom of expression. |
| Germany | Disproportionate responses to pro-Palestinian events. |